Winter Blossom

A Dalliance

Finally, locking themselves behind a barrier, Zhe Yan and Bai Zhi discussed the possible marriage alliance and what would be needed from them if they were to go ahead with it.  The talk which was held over a few more bottles of wine, continued into the night.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?  Once we start the ball rolling, there will be no going back." Zhe Yan asked Bai Zhi who was still stalling.  To apply for a marriage alliance for Bai Qian was not a simple affair, because the one they wanted was a Celestial High God and an exceptionally revered one, it was not so simple.  

The Celestial Palace would need to be formally approached and those that managed Celestial marriages would then consider the arrangement including Mo Yuan himself, though he doubted he would actually take part in the official negotiations, Di Jun would have to step in for him.

But that wasn't what was really bothering him.  His daughters reputation, character and disposition would be scrutinised along with her ability to rule, her social standing among her peers and even her appearance.  Everything about her would be laid bare, so he was not overly confident that she would all that agreeable let alone Mo Yuan.

"I'm not sure, what if he refuses?  He has never shown an interest in marriage before and he doesn't know my daughter.  She seems to at least be considering it, but a rejection might see her close herself down completely." he said feeling nervous for her and for himself, because he would have to be the one to approach them.

"Why would he reject her?  The two of you have been friends since childhood, you are also just as highly ranked as he is and now that she is a High Goddess, then surely she is more than suitable." Zhe Yan argued in his defence.

"But she made it clear she will not be notifying them of her rise to High Goddess.  She wants to keep it to herself.  If she makes it known now, we will have every man in creation trying to barge  their way in here." he argued back just as adamantly.

Conceding his point, Zhe Yan continued to press ahead.  "Well at least this way, we and she can control any marriage alliance based on who we think is suitable while at the same time ensuring that Mo Yuan is the only option she is given." Zhe Yan argued back furiously.

"True." Bai Zhi conceded, but the way Zhe Yan was arguing for Mo Yuan and even the fact that he even raised his name, suddenly had him looking at him a little harder.

"Is there something you are not telling me?" he asked, his expression full of suspicion.

He had been waiting for it all night, and now that he had finally cottoned on, Zhe Yans laughter began to fill the study.

_______

Lying in bed and wide awake, Bai Qian knew they were discussing her and for a while she tried to block the thought from her mind.  To marry at her age was embarrassing enough, but to the War God?   

As a child, his name had always evoked an impression of awe and reverence of course, but he held an almost a mythical status, someone who was relegated a podium on which he was placed so high, that to even try to imagine his face was a sacrilege.  The world had very few High Gods and being one of the oldest, he was beyond approach, even thinking badly of a marriage to him, made her feel guilty and she almost got off the bed to kowtow to Heaven for even daring to have such unholy thoughts.

Flipping over onto her stomach which was tying itself into knots at just the thought of marrying him, soon had her wondering what he might think of marrying her.  She was under half his age, a mere child compared to him so she could well imagine that he might reject the idea anyway.  But as much as she was hoping so, that thought only made her feel even worse.